By Tennessee Tribune Staff
The North Nashville Heritage Project has launched an online petition to stop the scheduled demolition of the north Nashville home of Henry Allen and Georgia Boyd.
According to the petition posted on Moveon.org, the home at 1601 Meharry Boulevard was constructed in 1938 and has stood as a symbol of one of the most powerful narratives in this city’s history, as many lives were touched by the Boyds.
“The two occupants of this home, Dr. Henry Allen and Georgia Bradford Boyd’s lives and careers impacted countless African Americans in this city, nation, and other groups around the world,” according to the petition.
The petition states that Dr. Boyd was a Fisk Trustee and part of the group of influential black men who convinced the Tennessee General Assembly to bring Tennessee State University to Nashville.
“Dr. Boyd served as president of Citizen’s Bank in this city; served on the National Baptist Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention of America; was the publisher and president of Nashville’s African American newspaper, The Nashville Globe; and served as a director of Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company. Georgia Boyd was a part of Nashville’s vibrant Colored Women’s Club Movement and for more than half a century, she dedicated her life to improving living conditions for African American women and by extension all African Americans in the Music City, according to the petition.
The North Nashville Heritage Project was founded by Dr. Learotha Williams, Associate Professor of African American and Public History at Tennessee State University.